IIHF Suspends Swiss Captain Thurkauf for Slew-Footing

Switzerland will be without Calvin Thurkauf for one game. The Swiss captain has been suspended for a slew-foot and will miss his country’s match-up against Denmark on Friday.

From the IIHF:

The 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship Disciplinary Panel has issued a one-game suspension to Thurkauf for slew-footing Swedish player Rasmus Dahlin in the teams’ game yesterday.

The incident occurred at the end (20:00) of the first period when both players were along the boards and had light shoulder-to-shoulder contact. Thurkauf hit the Swedish player behind him, Dahlin, first backwards with his arm, followed by a kick with his foot. Dahlin subsequently fell on the ice.

The player explained in the hearing today that he lost his emotional control for that short moment due to previous incidents, that he did not want to injure the opponent and that he acknowledges the misconduct.

The Disciplinary Panel determined that the player’s action constituted a slew-foot (IIHF Rule 160) and that it was a dangerous and unsportsmanlike behaviour, which according to the Rule Book should have resulted in a match penalty. Fortunately, Dahlin was not seriously injured and was able to continue playing.

Thurkauf was therefore sanctioned with a suspension of one game, being the team’s next game tomorrow against Denmark.

The IIHF Rulebook is quite clear in its definition of a slew-foot.

RULE 160 – SLEW-FOOTING DEFINITION:

A player who dangerously kicks an opponent’s foot or skate from behind or who pulls an opponent backwards while at the same time knocking or kicking his feet from under him.

i. A player who slew-foots an opponent will be assessed a match penalty.